Rail-tie.



J. E. JONES.

RAIL THE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 3, I915. RENEWED MAY 18,1916- PatentedDec. 5, 1916.

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J. E. JONES.

RAIL TIE.

AI PLIGATION FILED SEPT. 3. 1915. RENEWED MAY 18. I9l6.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

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JAMES E. JONES, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO.

RAIL-TIE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. a, mic.

Application filed September 3, 1915, Serial No. 48,826. Renewed. May 18,1916. Serial No. 98,441.

To all whom it may concern i it known that T, JAMES E. Jones, a citizenof the United States, residing at Columbus, in the county of Franklinand- State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRail-Ties; and do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in rail ties and resides in theprovision of a metallic tie that will operate in a reliable manner tosupport the rails, which is simple as to construction, durable andinexpensive to manufacture.

Another object of importance is to provide a rail tie that isconstructed and arranged to cooperate with novel rail clamping meansforming a part of my invention so that the rails are securely heldagainst creeping or spreading and may be readily laid or removed for thepurpose of repair, without necessitating the removal of spikes or boltsor other fastening means similar thereto.

Another object is to generally improve rail ties and fastening meanstherefor so as to render them more practical, reliable and 'eficient inoperation and inexpensive to manufacture.

The above and additional objects are accomplished by such means as areillustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in the followingspecification and then more particularly pointed out as claimed.

With reference to the drawings, wherein I have illustrated the preferredembodiment of my invention as it is reduced to practice, and throughoutthe several views of which similar reference numerals designatecorresponding parts, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional viewtaken through my improved tie and showing the rail clamping means inside elevation and clamp ing rails in position, Fig. 2 is a top planview of my improved tie with the fastening means removed, Fig. 3 is atransverse sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1 and showing themeans for adjustingly holding the movable clamping jaws 1n operativeposition, Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the wedge plate foradjusting the movable clamping jaws, Fig. 5 is a detail perspective viewof one of the stationary rail clamping jaws, Fig. 6 is a detailperspective view of the movable rail clamping aw, Fig. 7 is a detailplan view of the wedge pin, and Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the meansto lock the wedge pin in positlon.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, the numeral 1designates an elongated metallic body portion that is beveled upwardlyas at 2 at its ends and provided with approximately triangular openings3 at its ends, which openings extend from side to side of the body. Thebody portion 1 comprises a rectangular base plate t having formed at itsends and upon its upper side upstanding rail supporting portions 5 thatare joined by means of a vertical rib 6 that is preferably formedintegral with the body plate t and opposed faces of the rail supportingportions 2.

An angular opening 7 is formed centrally of the ends of the web. Theprovision of these openings 7 and 3 enables a skeleton constructionwhich eliminates unnecessary Waste in construction of the tie.

The web 6 is formed on its upper face with a longitudinal slot 8, theends of which communicate with a recess 9 formed in each end of the tiein the rail supporting portions 4; thereof. On the inner faces of theouter walls of the recesses 9 and adjacent to the bottom walls of saidrecesses are formed relatively smaller recesses 10 for a purpose to belater more fully described.

Mounted within the recesses 9 are rail clamping jaws designated 11 as anentirety that are stationary and consist of base portions 12 formed withupstanding curved portions 13, the free ends of which are designed toengage the outer faces of the webs of the rails and upon the tops of thebases thereof. A lug 14 is formed on the rear edge of the base 12 ofeach of the members 11 and fits within the adjacent recess 10 thusholding the members 11 against upward movement relative to the tie. Therecesses 9 are sufficiently deep that the main part of the rail clampingjaws 11 are disposed therein. Thus a secure fastening is provided andtherigidity of the tie in gen eral is increased. Only the upper curvedportions of the members 11 project above the surface of the tie. Therecesses 9 are of such length as to enable the removal and readyinsertion of the bases 12 and lugs 14 in position. The outer faces ofthe portions 13 that are approximately vertical engage the inner facesof the outer walls of the recesses 9. The portions 13 are. formedadjacent to the outer ends of the bases 12 1 the portions 18.- Theportions 17 overlie the'upper face of the shank 16 adjacent to the outerend of the shank so that the bases of the rails engage upon the upperfaces of the. shanks adjacent the outer ends thereof The under faces ofthe shanks adj acent to theouter ends thereof engage upon the upperfaces of the bases 12 and in so doing securely'hold the jaws 11 inposition and provide a rigid support for the rails. The opposed innerends of the shanks 16 are conoaved asat 18 fora purpose as will belatermore fully described. The outer ends of the shanks 16 extend into the recesses 9 as descrlbed and arenormally arranged so as to be permittedslight move ment toward the opposed faces of the portions 13 to effect'atightening of the clamping members of the tie.

As a means formoving the movable rail clamping jaws 15 into operativepos1t1on relative to the rails I provide a relatively flat Wedge plate19 that is tapered toward one end and formed intermediate its ends Withopenings 20. The plate 19 is inserted between the opposed inner ends ofthe shanks 16 and at its side edges, engages the 'concaved faces 18 ofsaid shanks, of greater length thanthe web16 is wide and projectstherebeyond' on either side thereof,

' more on one side than the other so that the openings 20 are free fromthe top of the web. A. wedge pin 21 is inserted through one of theopenings 20 andupon one edge engages one face of the web so as to holdthe plate 19 in position. As a; means for holding the wedge pin 21against slipping I provide a U-sh'aped clamping member 22 the'arnis ofwhich are bent upwardly'as at 23 and engage within a recess 24 formed'in the underface ofthe web 16. The body po'rtions of-the arms-and bodyportion of the membe'r'22 extend outwardly from the web. The member; 22is preferably formed of spring -metal-so that the vvedge' pin 21 lwhichwhen driven between the arms ofthe -member 22 will cause the armsto expand. Any-suitable means may be employed for supporting the member22 while the wedge pin 21 is being driven into it. I provide notches 2 1on the wedge pin on opposite sides thereof which notches engage the armsand hold the member 22 against falling. It will be readily seen that thewedge pins 21 are held against accidental removal. By moving the wedgeplate 19 the clamping action may be adjusted to suit and the wedge pins21 are then inserted through the desired opening 20 in the plate 19 andfastened in position as described.

It will be readily seen that I have provided a simple, inexpensive andreliable rail tie and fastening means therefor, that is durable, lightas to construction and will positively hold rails in such manner thatspreading thereof is obviated.

In practice, I have found that the form of my invention, illustrated inthe drawings and referred to in the above description, as the preferredembodiment, is the most eflicient and practical; yet realizing that theconditions concurrent with the adoption of my device will necessarilyvary, I desire to emphasize the fact that various minor changes indetails of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may beresorted to, when required, without sacrificing any of the advantages ofmy invention, as set forth.

hat is claimed is 1* 1. A rail tie consisting of a metallic body portionhaving a longitudinal slot in its upper face and recesses in the ends onthe upper face communicating with the slot of angular stationary railclamping members mounted within the recesses, movable rail clampingmembers mounted within the slot and consisting of elongated shanksarranged within the slot and angular rail clamping portions formed onthe shanks to engage the rails, the outer ends of said shanks extendingwithin the recesses and engaging upon the stationary rail clampingmembers, and means carried by the body portion and arranged between theopposed ends of the shanks to move the shanks into adjusted clampingposition.

2. A rail tie consisting of a metallic body portion having alongitudinal slot in its upper face and recesses in the ends on theupper face communicatingwith the slot of angular stationary railclamping members mounted within the recesses, movable rail clampingmembers mounted within the slot and consisting of elongated shanksarranged withinthe slot and angular rail clamping portions formed on theshanks to engage the rails, the outer ends of said shanks extendingwithin the recesses and engaging upon the stationary rail clampingmembers,

means "carried by the body portion and arranged between the opposed endsof the shanks to move theshanks into adjusted clamping position, andmeans to secure the stationary clamping members against upward movementconsisting of lugs carried on the lower ends thereof and said recesseshaving the inner faces of the outer walls pro- \iided with relativelysmall recesses to re ceive the said lugs.

3. A rail tie consisting of a body portion having a longitudinal slot inthe top thereof and recesses in the ends at the top communicating withthe slot, an angular stationary ail clamping jaw mounted within eachrecess and consisting of a base and an up standing curved rail engagingportion, rail clamping jaws mounted within the slots consisting 0:5shanks having integral upstanding curved rail clamping portions thereon,the outer ends of said shanks engaging upon the faces of the stationaryclamping members, the inner ends of the shanks being spaced and a wedgeplate adjustingly mounted between the inner ends of the shanks.

4. A rail tie consisting of a body portion having a longitudinal slot inthe top thereof and recesses in the ends at the top communicating withthe slot, an angular stationary rail clamping jaw mounted within eachrecess and consisting of a base and an upstanding curved rail engagingportion, rail clamping jaws mounted Within the slots consisting ofshanks having integral upstanding curved rail clamping portions thereon,the outer ends of said shanks engaging upon the faces of the stationaryclamping members, the inner ends of the shanks being spaced, a wedgeplate adjustingly mounted between the inner ends of the shanks, andmeans to hold the wedge plate in adjusted position.

5. A rail tie consisting of a body portion having a longitudinal slot inthe top there of and recesses in the ends at the top communicating withthe slot, an angular stationary rail clamping jaw mounted within eachrecess and consisting of a base and an upstanding curved rail engagingportion, rail clamping aws mounted within the slots consisting of shankshaving integral upstanding curved rail clamping portions thereon, theouter ends of said shanks engaging upon the faces of the stationaryclamping members, the inner ends of the shanks being spaced, a wedgeplate adjustingly mounted between the inner ends of the shanks and meansto hold the Wedge plate in adjusted position, said shanks having theirinner opposed ends concaved to receive the sides of the wedge plate andthe outer ends of said shanks arranged to be engaged by the bases of therails and to have the rails rest thereon.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JAMES E. JONES.

Witnesses:

D. A. POSTL'EWAITE, IRENE JONES.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D G.

